Crafty defender

Ohio State junior locks down Burke

January 13, 2013; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Thad Matta congratulates Aaron Craft (4) on his game against the Michigan Wolverines as Sam Thompson (12) watches at Value City Arena. Ohio State won the game 56-53. Mandatory Credit: Greg Bartram-USA TODAY Sports

Aaron Craft doesn't earn his scholarship because he makes 3 of 9 shots. He's out there because he makes the other guy shoot 4 of 13.

"Craft is one of the best defenders. You have to give him credit," Michigan's All-American point guard Trey Burke said of his showdown with the Ohio State junior.

Burke's coach went even further.

"Craft is as good as there is (and) as I've ever seen," Michigan coach John Beilein said. "He tremendous. He's going to be good, and you have to applaud that."

He may have been at his best in Sunday's 56-53 Big Ten statement victory in the Schottenstein Center. Not only did he hold arguably the nation's top point guard to a hard-earned 15 points, Craft won the head-to-head battle when the game was on the line.

With the Buckeyes clinging to a 52-50 lead, Craft hounded Burke to the point where Beilein called a timeout with 29 seconds in the game and 20 on the shot clock. Out of the break, Michigan bled the clock down to 16 seconds before Burke tried a difficult step-back 3-pointer with Craft recovering quickly enough to get a hand up to defend the shot.

It rattled around the rim before bounding into the hands of Ohio State's Lenzelle Smith Jr.

"Some go in and some don't," Burke said. "I thought it was going in. It looked good."

Ohio State coach Thad Matta agreed.

"That was a big-time move - the step back. He got a heck of a look at it," Matta said.

But it was a low percentage shot defended by the game's best perimeter stopper and the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Michigan could have easily gone for the tie in that situation by getting Burke to use a high screen for a drive to the basket - a fact Beilein alluded to when asked about the play.

"Obviously you'd like something a little bit better, but at that time that was a pretty good shot as you could see," Beilein said.

But Craft was ready either way.

"We were up two and it makes it a little more challenging for me. Fortunately enough that shot he shot rimmed in and out and kind of turned around. We grabbed the rebound," Craft said.

And if Burke would have decided to go at Craft, the defender knew he had backup.

"I have great trust in the guys behind me, and I know that it may seem I'm out there by myself on an island if he does go by me. I just need to pressure him enough to make a decision and get it out of his hands and contest shots," Craft said.

That's the way he approached it for all 37 of his minutes on the court. For a guy who came into the game as the most dynamic player in the Big Ten with his 18 points and more than seven assists a night, Craft worked overtime in forcing Burke to one side of the court or into help in the middle of the floor. Most of all, he put in a hard-hat effort by staying in front of the smaller and quicker opponent.

"Anytime you play against a great guy like him, you get that incentive to go out there and see what you can do. This team did a great job of stepping up to that challenge," Craft said.

Matta had faith.

"I knew he was going to be ready to play at the level he needed to," the coach said of his point guard.

Holding Burke to 20 percentage points below his season shooting numbers, harassing him into four turnovers, and picking his pocket once, Craft and the Buckeyes got the better of the homecoming for the Columbus Northland grad.

"I love playing against him because he makes me better and makes me work," Burke said.

It's why Craft is on scholarship.

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Crafty defender

Aaron Craft doesn't earn his scholarship because he makes 3 of 9 shots. He's out there because he makes the other guy shoot 4 of 13.